Metro settles for frustrating 1:1 tie with Revs
August 17, 2019
The season is winding down. The playoff crunch is upon us. A difficult week with two road games awaits. Points are at a premium. Tonight, Metro came out like everything was on the line, and played terrifically... in the first half. Unfortunately, they couldn't replicate it after the break, and had to settle for a 1:1 tie with New England.
Chris Armas kept the same starting 11 as a week ago, but made a formation change, as Daniel Royer moved up as a secondary striker. A first-half change was needed, however, when Brian White pulled off injured and was taken off by Bradley Wright-Phillips.
Metro struck in the 18th minute, after an errant touch by a Rev defender left Royer alone on the left flank. His cross was cleared by the visitors, but only to just outside the box. There, Marc Rzatkowski took one touch to settle the ball, and another to drive it into the net.
Metro had more chances before the break, but nothing materialized. Still, the dominance was obvious; surely, it would continue into the second half?
Absolutely not. It was old Metro boss Bruce Arena who made adjustments, slowing down the game to disrupt any flow. Metro made just one defensive mistake, and they paid dearly for it. In the 65ths minute, a through ball beat the offside trap, and Gustavo Bou sliced the shot into the net.
Metro pressed late in the match, with Wright-Phillips forcing a late point-blank save for Rev keeper Matt Turner. Tonight, it was not to be. One point was gained, two were dropped, as the season winds down into the abyss of nothingness.
Lineup: Robles, Lawrence, Long, Parker, Buckmaster, Davis, Casseres, Rzatkowski, Romero Gamarra, Royer, White. Subs: Wright-Phillips, Fernandez, Murillo.
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